Finding Strength
by Unbidden-Angel
Summary: A collection of AsuraxSoul stories. All kinds will be added in: Fluff, slash, etc. Some will stand alone, some may be in groups. Some will contain gender-benders.
1. Strength is fear

**Strength...is fear**

**Summery:**Fem!Soul decides that its time to give Asura a verbal-smack-down, super-powerful Kishin or not. In the end, Asura learns a valuable lesson.

**Warnings:** Gender-switched!Soul, foul language, and proof that PMS-ing gives women super powers. Possible spoilers. Beware!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own SE. If I did, this is a little more like what the final episode would be like.

"talk"

_'think'_

emphasis

**"Soul yelling at Asura"**

_* Snip its of events b/t younger Soul and Asura inside the white nothing-ness._ (Bet you can't guess what I'm referring to.)

***Current 'events' inside white nothing-ness**

"Talking inside w.n."**  
**

* * *

Soul watched in disbelief and horror as Asura fired another powerful attack at Maka. Quickly transforming, Soul jumps in front of her, taking the blast that was meant for her.

"Maka. Are you...alright?"

"What?...Soul...yeah. I'm fine."

Maka continued to stare up at her partner, clearly concerned. She opened her mouth to ask, but closed it when Soul began to fall forwards. Maka quickly sat up, catching her partner before she could fall. It took a moment, but eventually Soul was kneeling on the broken ground, panting.

Once her breathing was back in her control, she growls out, "Damn it. Thats it. This is enough!"

"Soul! What are doing!" Maka cries out. Soul only keeps stalking forward, fists clenched into tight balls at her sides. Sighing, Maka sits back on knees, prepared to race forward if needed. _'More than likely to save Asura instead of Soul, though. Poor guy doesn't even know what he got himself into. NO guy would mess with her. They all know better.' _Maka thought with a strained smile and wince.

She stared on as Asura, looking at first surprised then angered, opened his mouth to fire another blast. Maka and the others winced then turned pitying stares to the stunned Kishin as the blast shot towards the enraged Weapon, only for it to be backhanded into the barrier with a small explosion some 30 feet away.

Asura watched his attack be knocked away almost effortlessly with his jaw dropping further every foot it went. When he turned back around, his cheek was met with one of Soul's fists, forcing his head back around before his collar was grabbed and jerked roughly down.

Every one of the viewers gulped. Their thoughts all circled around either, _'Uh-Oh.' _or _'He's in for it now.'_ or even _'That poor guy.'_

Everyone in Death City, and even some outside of it, knew that if you saw Soul like this, you should do one thing. Run. The Other. Way. Not even Lord Death would try his luck with her like this.

Asura gulped loudly when he came face to face with the enraged albino. Her hair covered her eyes in shadow until she flung her head up to show livid blood red. Asura gulped again. When she opened her mouth, he would swear to his dying day- he feverishly hoped in the back of his mind that it wasn't today- that his bladder squeezed, too scared to even pee his pants.

"**You ****idiot****! What the ****Hell**** is your problem!" **she screeched. Asura whimpered.

"**Oh, wait! I forgot! Its because your a weak-ass PUSSY! Your a wimp! A spineless coward!"** she continued. With every word that came from her mouth, Asura tried to pull back more and attempted to sink down further. But he only got to his knees and a couple feet away before she yanked him back, screeching and yelling every breath.

**"How ****pathetic**** can ****1****! person be! I guess pretty damn pathetic! Have you ****looked**** in a mirror!"** Asura felt his bladder tighten up even more. He throat closed before he could whimper.

**"You disgust me! You sit there and hide behind your Madness. You say its power! I don't see any power! All I see is weakness! I see a little **_**giirll**_** hiding behind a freakin' ****security blanket!**** Do you know what Madness is! It's a cardboard wall! Card-! Board-! What happens when it gets wet! It becomes useless! Just like ****YOU!****"** she paused to draw in a wheezy breath before starting again. Asura releases a whine before shrinking even more at the look in her eyes.

**"Do you know what you got from Madness?"** even though she didn't pause for his answer, Asura found himself shaking his head anyway. **"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! All Madness did, was help you realize and use what powers you already had! And instead of realizing that like some one with some actual ****sense!**** you say that Madness gave you those powers! All Madness did was help you realize them! Do you even know what strength is!"**

Soul pulled back and let go to cough shakily into her hand. Asura noticed that her left pocket looked wet. She fell to her knees and kept coughing.

"Even Cro-" cough,cough "na, is stro- nger than you!" Her voice was still hard but rough and straining due to her violent coughing. Out of the corner of his eyes, Asura notices the others digging threw their pockets for something while glancing uneasily at her.

"Crona used to hide behind his almost-Madness, just like you. He'd push everything back until finally it came out in one big blast. He's gotten stronger though. Your still weak. You still hide behind your Madness, thinking that it'll solve all your problems or help you get over your fears. But your still afraid, aren't you?" Her voice may have been weak and had a hint of a croak in it, but Asura still feared it. He could still feel the power and strength behind it.

Suddenly, visions started appearing before his eyes; pictures playing in his mind. He saw all the things he had been afraid of, and was still afraid of. He saw people who were also afraid of things, conquering their fears.

Then, he saw others' memories. Some distant part noted the fact that the students were all appearing to be concentrating on something.

He saw a tall girl with long hair-_a voice that sounded an awful lot like the albino's whispered 'Liz.'_- who seemed terrified, follow a ghost to the outside of a creepy looking ship.

He saw a younger girl with the same outfit as the Liz-girl -_'Patty' the voice supplied- _walk with her sister into a large mansion. She had been afraid of calling it home.

He saw a boy with black hair and white strips-_'Kidd' the voice whispered_- stand before him(Asura) and prepare to fight.

Outside, Stein, Crona, Death, and Spirit closed their eyes and concentrated as well. They didn't know why, but they felt they should. And so they did.

Asura saw a man with red hair_-'Spirit'_ - watch his daughter grow up, feeling that it was too fast.

He saw a boy with golden eyes-_'Stein' _- make friends with a young looking redhead -_'Spirit' the voice repeated softly-_ then the scene switched and an older version of Stein was being named Godfather and holding a baby who reminded him of the albino girl.

He saw a kid with pink-spiked hair -_'Crona'_ - stand up to a blond witch and say that they would kill her.

He saw a girl with pigtails -_'Maka' -_ run towards an older version of the witch-girl -_'Medusa' the voice hissed_- then later swim threw an ocean of black-blood-Madness to reach a younger version of Crona.

He saw Lord Death watch as he aimed a blast at his son before racing to get in front of it, hoping he isn't too late.

He saw a woman with long black hair-_'Tsubaki'_- face her brother whom she loved so much.

He watched a boy with blue hair-_'Black Star'_- face who he was and accept it. The image skipped to him asking a girl out on a date while blushing and stuttering. He didn't fail to see the albino girl in the background, leaning around a corner, smiling. The tear she shed failed to escape his notice as well.

Then finally, he saw the albino girl, terrified of being betrayed, reluctantly accept people into her life, letting them become her friends. He saw her face a little demon. Saw her play the piano in front of others. Saw her brave the affects of the black-blood for her partner. Some part of him noticed that the voice didn't supply a name.

The next thing he saw was infinite whiteness. He felt like he should remember this. Then a young child in a new-looking jacket-less suit stood in front of him. He gasped when he realized that it was the albino girl.

*"Hi. I'm Soul Eater Evans! What's your name?" _She cocked her head to the side and grinned widely, holding her tiny hand out._

*"Hey. Do you mind...if I sit here? Or stand. Just for a little while?"_He'd moved his head to stare downwards and she grinned before sitting down where she'd stood._

*" Um. Hey, Mister? Would you mind if I, you know, shared a secret with you?"_ He'd looked up at her threw his bangs, waiting. He couldn't care less either way. _" My name. It isn't ... Soul Eater."_ He'd flung his head back, leaning away. He'd __known__ she was a lair! He'd __known__ he shouldn't have trusted her! _"Its actually... um, you see... Soul _Evangilene_ Evans."_ He'd blinked at her. He'd not been expecting that._ "I only call myself _Eater_ because, well," _she'd looked sad here, and looked sideways but not anywhere from the ground._ "Everyone who knows it, makes fun of me for it."

_She'd glanced up at him and he had been staring at her. Tears grew in her crimson eyes and she released a small whine while biting her lip. She'd started to get up and run away, but Asura, for whatever reason, had whipped his arm out and gently grasped her fragile chin. He'd gently turned her to face him before replying,_ "I think its a _beautiful_ name." _ She'd gasped and her eyes snapped to stare into his. He'd blushed and looked away, not withdrawing his hand._

"Really?" _She'd whispered. Her voice had sounded so hopeful that he'd not been able to resist turning back to her and nodding with a little smile. He'd nearly fallen over when she had flung herself into his chest, hugging him tightly. _"Oh! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Even my parents make-"_ She'd pulled back and held her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed, as if he'd slapped her. He remembered narrowing his eyes, leaning forwards as she leaned away._"Sorry! Sorry! I'm not supposed to mention that! Sorry!" _She'd laughed it off like it was nothing, and he'd nodded slowly. That had been the first sign of child abuse. But for all he could have known, it could have been the joking type, with lots of love and affection. But something had told him that he was wrong._

He snapped out of it at a particularly wet cough. He cringed at the blood he saw on her hands.

"Evangilene." He murmured. She seemed to freeze, head turning slowly, just enough for him to see her tear-stained face and horrified eyes. Like he'd just announced her worst secret in front of the world. "Its a beautiful name."

She nodded, hands clapped over her mouth. Another cough jerked her shoulders, and one of the others suddenly pushed a needle into her. She didn't even blink. They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Then they moved.

They stood, staring into each others eyes, crimson on crimson. Soul moved first. She held out her hand, just like she did so long ago. She looked completely serious. Unlike then.

*"Asura."_ He'd muttered, barely even noticing._

"Hm?"

"My name. Its Asura." _He'd continued his sad attempt to braid her soft white hair as she'd half laid-half sat in his lap. She'd stayed still for a moment before suddenly standing up and spinning around to face him. He'd blinked at his suddenly empty lap, hands still poised as if to braid, before slowly tilting his head back to blink up at her blankly._

_She'd giggled sweetly and tilted her head, grinning. She held out her hand._

"Will you be my friend, Mister Asura?"

****Suddenly, behind the child version of Soul, colorful shapes appeared. They slowly formed into different people, each one smiling at him and holding their hand out. Maka, then Liz, then Patty, Kidd, Black Star, Tsubaki, Spirit, Stein, Crona, a woman with long purple hair and cat ears, then people that just lived there, random civilians, students of the DWMA. He even saw some Death Scythes-Justin Law, Marie, Azusa- and Lord Death, himself. Looking back up at Soul, he saw her hand standing out from everyone else's.**

"Its okay...if your afraid."** She smiled gently at him, and suddenly, its just them again. He can sense the others still there. But he only saw Soul and himself. She was patient. She would wait for him.**

"What is...strength?"

She looked a little confused for a moment before finally realization dawned in her eyes and she smiled.

"Strength...is fear. And having someone to help you past it."

_'Yes. I see now. Thank you.'_

"Will you... help me past it?" He asked, hand raising to grasp hers. He smiled softly, and everyone could feel the warmth from it.

'It's okay. ..If your afraid.'

"No." His hand stopped an inch hers, but his smile stayed, lighting his previously dead eyes.

"Hm?" She seemed confused and a little hurt, but she hid that well.

"I'm ready. Help me... get strong. I'm afraid. But I'm ready."

"Okay then. First step. Lower the barrier. When your ready." She still held her hand out, patiently waiting. He knew that she would wait forever if she had to. This girl, so terrified of letting others in because she was afraid of being betrayed, was holding out her hand and _inviting _him inside. But could he trust himself to not hurt her? Could he trust himself to not be the one to make her cry?

He looked around, into each of the student's eyes. Then he tilted his head back and was _just_ able to see through it at times to catch glimpses of their eyes. Hardening his eyes in determination, he looks back into her eyes and clasps her hand. They slowly shook.

****Back in the white nothing-ness, Asura grabs her hand and fells hundreds of other hands latch onto his and Soul's. When the final hand rested on top of all the others, a small orb of color appeared around them and began to grow, slowly bringing color to the white wasteland that had been his empty Madness for so long.**

**

* * *

**Hope you liked it! THis always makes me tear up. I don't know why. Its not even good. I'm really sorry for the whole ending thing. I'd already written it when I finally noticed that I'd practically ripped it off of Naruto. Sorry.

I don't know if any of these would be something that they would actually fear or would actually happen. But thats how this turned out. Oh, well. Let me know if you find any mistakes or if you need to ask something.

Yummies to those who can guess what I'm referring to in here.


	2. Fearful Comfort

**Fearful Comfort**

**Summery: A woman's spirit gives Soul advice on how to defeat Asura.**

**Warnings: Possible spoilers, mentions of murder, mention of an OC.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SE. I couldn't even buy it off ebay...**

"Talking"

_'Thinking'_

_emphasis_**  
**

* * *

Soul was watching from within the empty blackness of his scythe form. Something didn't...feel right. He felt like someone was trying to tell him something. Something important. Something he needed to know. He could hear someone whispering in his ear. But he couldn't make out the words.

But he could feel that if he stared into Asura's eyes long enough, he'd figure it out. When they connected in a brief attack once more, Soul's eyes widened as far as they would go. He'd figured it out. He could finally hear the words being whispered into his ear.

He nodded and narrowed his eyes in determination. He knew what he had to do. The whispering stopped.

Maka had been preparing to attack again when Soul suddenly began to glow. She straightened her back and released her tight grip on him, allowing his to fully transform back into his human form.

"Soul. What's..." Maka began. She trailed off when he suddenly turned back to look at her. He was smiling softly and it reached his eyes, warming the crimson orbs.

"I know what to do now, Maka. Let's try this first." Without even waiting for her approval, he turned back to face to Kishin who was staring at them angrily. He nodded to him, still smiling and started forward.

Asura watched the white-haired scythe-Weapon walk towards him. He didn't understand it. That boy was afraid of him, he could _feel it!_ But he kept coming closer, smiling. Asura narrowed his eyes angrily. Whatever he had planned, Asura wouldn't let him do it. He opened his mouth and gagged up his own Weapon, shooting a large red ball of his distorted wavelength at him.

Soul's eyes widened momentarily before he leapt out of the way, ducking and covering his head in fear as rocks began to pelt him. He was afraid. He was _afraid!_ But he wouldn't stop! He couldn't stop! Not when he was so close to helping someone who needed more help than anyone he knew. And as a student of the DWMA and a future Death Scythe, it was his duty to help anyone in need.

No one seemed to notice the barrier thinning out now that Asura's focus was mainly on the shark-toothed albino.

"What is he doing? That idiot! He's gonna get himself killed!" Spirit muttered. He didn't know whether to be concerned or angry. Lord Death stood in the background, watching the scythe slowly get to his feet and stumble towards the enraged and confused Kishin. _'Hmmm. I wonder...'_

Meanwhile, Soul, who was barely able to keep himself from pissing his pants, continued to stumble forwards, eyes warily keeping watch for more attacks while his lips twisted back into that same warm smile. His red eyes sought out and stared into Asura's own red orbs. Asura stepped back, hoping to put distance between them before he quickly became enraged once more. He sent out his scarves to try to hold him back, but even they proved worthless. He lifted his arm and a scarf rapped around it tightly before loosening and hanging around his elbow. All the other scarves began to copy it, grabbing hold of a part of him before loosening and hanging freely.

Asura could tell the boy wasn't comfortable with them, but he made no move to push them away, even when one fell over his eye. He _just couldn't understand _how this _young, terrified_ boy could prove to be so strong. Looking closer at him, Asura could see the fear and something else in his warm crimson orbs. He'd seen it before. But _where?_ He just couldn't put his finger on it.

He didn't notice that the boy had come so close to him until he looked up and locked eyes with him. Asura gasped in surprise, eyes widening, and prepared himself to leap backwards. But Soul had prepared for this and quickly reached up to entangle his slim fingers in Asura's black and white hair, using it to pull him down onto his knees. Asura gave a chocked gasp of pain as he dropped onto his knees, reaching up to grasp the hands that had already loosened themselves and were rubbing soothingly to ease the ache.

Asura remained froze for a few minutes before he finally cracked open his eyes and tilted his head back. He froze when he looked straight into a separate pair of ruby-red eyes, warm, afraid, and accepting. He gasped. That was it! Acceptance! _That _was what he saw earlier!

But he was confused. Why would this boy accept him? What reasons did he have?

"It's okay to cry." Asura's eyes widened. _'What? How could he have-What is he talking about?'_

The observers, both inside and outside of the paper-thin barrier, gasped in surprise. They hadn't expected this. Death's 'eyes' narrowed in growing suspicion. _'But it couldn't be. ...Could it?'_

"You don't have to fight anymore." Soul muttered, releasing the Kishin's hair and wrapping his trembling arms around his shoulders and head. Soul hesitated for a split second before he finally tightened his grip and gently pushed Asura's face into his chest, holding him there. "I'm right here. Take your time."

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Asura looked up at the boy, tilting his head back as far as he was allowed. His eyes almost glowed with confusion. Why would this boy, so young- and an enemy at that- feel the need to comfort him?

"Everyone needs to cry sometime." The response wasn't expected, and even Lord Death appeared surprised. He'd been expecting something different. Something to do with Asura's murdered lover. But this... He couldn't explain it, but he felt that it was what was needed to be said. That it was said _right._

Asura continued to stare up into his eyes, shocked mind not able to register the tears that had begun to pool in his own. Soul's smile became wider and softer, more welcoming.

"Its alright. I don't mind." He mumbled, pink beginning to dust his cheeks; he'd never done anything like this before. He felt more embarrassed than afraid.

Asura's eyes narrowed in a half-hearted attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. It didn't work. He wrapped his arms tightly around Soul's waist, buried his head in his chest, and began to sob. He let it all out. The grief of having the woman he loved murdered, the pain of having his skin tore off, the pain of being all alone with only Madness for hundreds of years, and every fear he's ever had. All his pain and suffering was released threw his sobs.

Soul only stood still, letting him sob into his chest. He ignored all the eyes he felt watching them. After a few moments of the Kishin's rough sobbing, Soul begins to rock back and forth on his heels, humming some random lullaby that he felt he knew, but couldn't remember ever hearing. No one said a word. Eventually, Asura fell asleep, sniffling.

Soul sighed and pulled back just enough to wipe the tear tracks off his face. Pulling him back into his chest, Soul continued his humming, giving a quick kiss to the top of the traumatized man's head. Still, no one said a word. And Soul's lullaby echoed all around them.

* * *

Hope this one isn't as bad as I think it is. Sorry for making Soul sound so gay-ish. But lets all just pretend that he was kinda possessed by Asura's dead lover. I know. Weird. And the whole 'its my duty thing', lets just say that he had to think of SOME reason to keep being suicidal. Let me know of mistakes, confusion, problems, etc. Enjoy!


End file.
